Get set for fantastic north coast sunflower display

Thursday June 27th 2019

Planting the field of sunflowers on the Whitepark Road, Portrush.

If you love sunflowers, then plan a trip to the north coast later this summer where a section of land running alongside the Whitepark Road in Portrush will be literally dancing with them!

It will be a sight to behold, and farmer Archie Linnegan, a parishioner of Holy Trinity Parish Church, Ballywillan, is hoping visitors to the north coast will swing by to enjoy the display.

Former Glebewarden Archie is planting the sunflowers as a fundraiser for the church building fund and the Liver Support Group at the Royal Victoria Hospital. He plans to put an honesty box at the roadside for passers-by to make a donation

Archie has planted 10 kilos of sunflower seeds on a half acre plot running lengthwise along the roadside. At the launch of the project at the parish family service on June 9, he gave the children at the service potted sunflower seedlings to take home – eventually the children will measure their sunflowers to see whose has grown the biggest!

The sunflowers will be at their prime in the second part of August. “People are always looking for something to do. They may drive up just to look around for a few minutes,” Archie said.

“I am probably the only person in Ballywillan Parish with a farm, as it is a town parish. That in itself is generating interest.”